BUZZZ…BUZZZZZ

Ever since I walked out of the café, my phone has been going off like crazy. Every second that passed, the longer the vibration in my coat lasted, increasing the urgency to get away quickly. 

But I didn’t get far when someone caught my hand, turning me around to face the icy blue eyes that were glaring fiercely down at me. Close to his ear was his phone that he held in his hand. The screen was lit on, displaying the call screen before Mark moved his thumb to press the red icon- ending the call simultaneously with the vibration of my phone. “And where do you think you’re going? I thought we were clear that I would pick you up.” Mark said, not hiding the undercurrent of anger in his voice as he puts away his phone.

Pursing my lips, I glared at him, using my free hand to clasp around the wrist of the hand that Mark has caught, trying to pull myself free. “Let me go, you two faced fox!”

The hold on my wrist tightened, making me wince before being pulled in to the dark, damp alleyway. “What do you think you’re doing-!?” I yelled, only to be cut off as my back got slammed against the wall. It wasn’t hard enough to hurt me, but it was hard enough to knock the air out of my lungs.

He caught both of my hands with one hand and brought them above my head, placing them against the cold brick wall as he brought his face closer, leering at me, “I wonder, to what do I ow this pleasant nickname?”

I scoffed indignantly. “As if you don’t know. Now let me go.”

“Surprisingly, I don’t know. So if you want me to let you go, then you better talk. Why did you leave the store without contacting me?” Mark’s smile didn’t reach the bottom of his eyes, turning the blood in my body into ice and rising the small hairs on the back of my neck as his smile felt eerie and dangerous. He is livid.

His eyes that were now void of any playfulness were unnerving, making me want to hide myself in a hole, but I didn’t let it show; keeping on an undaunted expression.

“Why should I listen to your request when you don’t even listen to mine? I told you not to spy on my conversation with mom but you still did it with your stupid machine.”

I saw the glint of anger in his eyes subside at the sound of betrayal in my voice. “I only did that because I was worried about you. Your mom had hurt you before, so I was scared that she would do it again.”

“Ha!” I laughed dryly at his words that were coated thickly with sugar. I would have believed him if I hadn’t figured out the truth. “Are you sure it wasn’t because you didn’t want me to know that you were the one who told my mom about my location?”

For a moment, his face held the look of surprise, but that got quickly buried under his blank expression. “So you know. Is that why you are so angry?”

“No, I am miffed because I don’t want to spend any longer with a manipulator such as yourself. You fucking pulled the strings behind my application for your company.” I stated through gritted teeth.

“I thought that was the best way of keeping tabs on you 24/7 while keeping you close and safe.” He said honestly, not sounding remorseful at all, and that scared me. This man doesn’t even think that what he did was wrong.

“You’re fucking horrible.” I spat.

“Hey man, let her go.” A man called out to Mark, bringing our attention to him. The man slowly inched towards us, assessing the danger of the situation. Anxiety overtook my expression at the side of the innocent man walking straight in to the den of a famished lion who was thirsty for blood. I shook my head vehemently at the man trying to send him a message with my eyes to not step any further, but the man read my message wrong and gave me an assuring smile before glaring hard at Mark who wore a stoic expression as he kept his hold on me.

“She doesn’t like it. Let her go, otherwise I am going to call the cops.” He warned, continuing his long strides until he stood in front of Mark. He was a few inches shorter than Mark, making Mark look even more menacing.

Not receiving any response from Mark, he furrowed his brows, uttering, “Didn’t you hear me, man? I told you to let her go-ack!”

Mark moved so fast that I wasn’t able to follow his movement as he grasped for the man’s throat swiftly. He tightened the grip on the man’s throat, digging his nails into the skin. The man totally became reticent as the feeling of his airways getting crushed made it difficult for him to utter a word.

I watched in horror at how the innocent man’s face was being drained of its blood, turning him ghastly pale as he kept gasping for air.

“Mark, stop it! You’re killing him!” I yelled, struggling against his hold, but it fell on deafening ears as Mark kept his iron grip on the man steadily.

“What does a mutt like you think he is for you to tell me what to do with mine woman? I should rip that indignant tongue of yours out, so it may say nothing foolish again.” Mark threatened lowly.

 “Mark!”

Mark's eyes subtly darted to the side, assessing my expression before looking at the helpless man again. He released his hold on the man’s neck and the man dropped to the floor, coughing for air before his eyes that now reflected fear, looked up at Mark. The man shook under the stony stare of Mark.

Mark pushed the flaps of his suit, revealing the gun that was nestled in his belt, and the man’s face went blanch.

“Scram.” Mark commanded, and the man didn’t waste any time, scrambling away out of our sight back in to the walking crowd of people that minded their own business.

Mark then fixed his cold gaze back on me, causing my heart to skip a beat. “Yes, I’m horrible, I’m an asshole, a bastard- which ever synonym you can think of.” His calm, low voice took a turn to a dangerous one. “But if it is to keep you by my side, then I don’t mind turning into the fucking devil himself, so just accept it, kitten.” He growled.

Does he really just expect me to accept it? His words only roused my anger even more. Now I’m really pissed.

“Fuck you.”

His expression faltered, taken on the one of surprise. “Well, I don’t mind it if it is yo-”

“Fuck you!” I repeated angrily. “My life should have been an ordinary life where I would find somebody to love and raise a family with, not where my life is in danger every second that I am awake! I am sick of being manipulated by you!”

He glowered at me, “I think that there’s something that you need to understand-”

“Oh, shut up! What is there not to understand? Every step that I took, you had a hand in it, twisting it to your liking. I can’t even ask the bloody police for help anymore out of fear that there would be another insider there and oh! Let’s not forget our great friend Casper, who most likely is so influential that he got the military at his disposal. It’s clear, Mark, I can’t run away!”

Narrowing his eyes, he moved his face closer to mine and said in a low dangerous tone, “You better dial that tone, April or-”

“Or what?” I snapped, refusing to back down.

His lips then curled up into a menacing grin. “Well, I have been itching to kill your mom. Maybe I should do it seeing how close by she is.” He said, trying to taunt me but different from what he expected. I responded with a bored expression as I ushered indifferently. “Uh-hu.”

The smile on his face dropped all together. “So me, killing your family doesn’t frighten you anymore?” His sharp gaze studied me, trying to figure out what was the cause of my attitude change.

With my hands still caged in his grasp, I shrugged exaggeratingly. “Nope, because you won’t.”

His eyebrows twitched. No matter how hard he is trying to conceal it, the confusion on his face was palpable and I couldn’t withhold a smirk from growing on my face.

“And what makes you say that?” He queried.

“Because you actually love me and you won’t do something that would hurt me.”

The corner of his lips tugged into an eerie smile. “Sure, I wouldn’t hurt you physically, but mentally would be a whole different story and you know that. I could easily kill your mother or your best friend right now in cold blood. I don’t care whether you will end up hating me forever-”

“I know,” I said, cutting his words short. “That’s why I have decided to change this stalkee and stalker relationship between us.” This way may be the only way where I can keep everyone safe. It’d cost me- but to get some type of freedom back, I’ll do it.

The anger that had reigned him before had now totally ebbed away, making room for worry and confusion.

“What are you talking about, kitten?”

My lips became dry, my tongue sweeping over it to lubricate it. My mouth parted and closed a few times as I wondered if this was truly the best choice- but I couldn’t back away now that I have come this far.

“You’ve won Mark. I will stop running away from you.”